Dial knitting-machine.



I PATENTED APR. 21, 1908. B. T. STEBER. DIAL KNITTINGMAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 2, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inpe

xix

N5. 885,304. PATENTED APR.21, 1908.

Y B. T. STEBBR. DIAL KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILHD OOT. 2, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNARD T. STEBER, Ol L lIC-A, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE STEBER MACHINE COMPANY, .01" UlIUA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION.

DIAL KNITTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Batented April 21, 1908.

Application filed October 2, 1906. Serial No. 337,043.

To aZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, BERNARD 'l. S'innnii, a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, in the county of Oneida, State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Dial Knitting-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines and particularly to circular dial knitting machines, although certain features thereof are of general application.

In order that the principles of the invention may be clearly set forth, 1 have in the accompanying drawings illustrated one type or embodiment of the invention, it being mi 4 deijstood that the invention may be specifically einbodied'in types of mechanism widely varying from that herein disclosed.

1n the drawings, wherein a type of the in vention is disclosed,l*igure 1 is a side clevation of a circular dial knitting machine dis-- closing a preferred form of support for the cylinder mechanism and for the dial mechanisin; Fig. 2 is a central vertical Section,

through the needle and cam cylinders and the needle and cam dials and disclosing a pre ferred form of supporting means for said parts.

.lteferring specifically to the drawings and to that single type of the invention therein disclosed, in Fig. l, the base, whereon the mechanism is preferably supported, is indicated at 1, said base being preferably of cast metal and having rising therefrom and preferably integrally formed therewith a preforably tubular standard 2, the main column 3 being supported therein or suitably secured thereto, said base, standard and column constituting a rigid support. A depending column 4 is supported from the main column 3 and preferably in parallelism thercw ith in any suitable manner, but as herein shown by a horizontal connecting or cross portion 5, herein shown as having depending sleeves (3 and 7 positioned upon and preferably 'lixcdly secured to said main column and depending column, respectively. For the sake of lights ness each of the parts thus far enumerated, excepting the base, may be and preferably is of tubular material, it being uiiihislood that the main column and depending column may be connected in any desired manner, and prt-iferably to present a rigid or inflexible support for the parts carried by said depending column.

The construction of the base 1 is such, it being laterally extended underneath the operative parts of the mechanism, that the entire mechanism may be supported firmly thereby without fastening the said base to the floor.

Mounted uponythe main column 3, is a bracket 8, extending laterally therefrom and either iixcdly or adjustably secured thereto. In the present type of the invention 1 have indicated. adj listing screws whereby said bracket may be adjusted with respect to said column, it being understood that any pre-' which may be of any desired type but which is herein indicated as consisting of fabric contacting rolls 9 and 10, the former being herein shown as driven by a worm 11, driven by interposed gearing and belt connections, preferably from the main shaft of the machine, said rolls 9 and 10 being herein shown as carriediby an arm 12, pivoted upon the main column at 13, whereby the weight of the parts further tends to maintain the fabric under tension. it will belu ndcrstood, however, that the fabric tensioning devices herein shown, may be otherwise mounted and actuated, or that the other type of devices may be employed. In the construction shown, a clear space is provided beneath the body of the machine or beneath the tensioning devices, if the same be employed, wherein a receptacle for thafabric may be positioned, as upon the be 1. in the present type of the invention the machine is readily accessible from three sides, thus affording ready access to the parts.

if itbe desired to employ a dial in connection with the needle cylinder mechanism, the same is preferably and in the present type of the invention, mounted upon the depending column -l. Such dial may be of any desired conforimifion and character, and may be designed to support therein dial needles either honizontal or inclined upwardly or downwiirdly and arranged either retely ulined with the spaces between the needles oi the cylinder. lirezil dillicu 5w been heretofore experienced Y i title provide mechanism accomplishing and particularly in machines of e line ego or carrying it number 01 must necessarily he closely spaced.

In circular knitting machines the custom ery manner in which it has been attempted to maintain at cylinder and the corresponding element of the dial in opcmtive relation, has been to provide engaging lugs upon aid. erts between which the fabric issuing from the mechanism passes. Such manner of support and other nietnods of support known to me are ineliective to nuiintzi-in at true, perfect en d lasting Working relation between at cylinder and the corresponding element of the dial, as, for example, between the needle cylinder and needle dial. In previous types'ol'" machines so far known to me the in nnner of supporting the dial has been such that in the operation of the machine the dial supporting means has worked loose and the needles or yarn manipulating elements thereof have no longer been nuiintn-ined in accurate position With respect to the needles of the dial.

In the present type of my invention l maintain the needle cylinder stationary and suoport the needle dial upon the depcnding co uuin d. lmismuch us said dependin; column 4 is in the present typo o'l the invention rigid with the main column 2%, and the said needle dial is lixcdly secured upon the said depending column, it will be understood the t the desired relation of the needles oi the cylinder nnd dial will not. be disturbed during the 0 erution ol' the machine, and morcovcr it Will be observed that the said needle dinl is maintained clear ol the needle cylinder lor the free passage ol the fabric. While in the present type of the invention l have dis closed the needle cylinder as stationery nnd consequently have described the needle diztl as secured upon the depending column, it is to be understood that ii it be desired to maintnin the cum cylinder slntiounry :md to rotete the needle cylinder the corresponding element of the die! only be scclucd lo the dcpending colunm.

li e depending support for the needle 1 ml 1 i Offifilitll diameter be employed, the periphery ieedles it kuch i l'tfilll 's in the are rndi-- carried :1 support the torouecr *lorc l en dispix lllltli;

ule iijibiii d to. thrdinmctr." ol l in" our ihi';

o sub-stun iccdic din cent type oi' the invention, view: the bed plnlc oi the i whine ini-i, su h ocd 'y'ete prt-l'erizbly being; any suitnblc ,nncr lo the-sup desired it may 1 Li) upon v. or end oi the needle bit" reducqd in ditlius iorniing u shoult .Jitll the upper edge oi ierior diameter of och that the lower dle c iir Jr l5, closely lits therein, who] ,b otion ol' the needle cylinder on the nod pi avoided, and the same may be truly and nciu'utcly positioned. While an" desired mm is may be resorted to to main in the needle cylinder in position, preler bl; the Htllllt? is s' c l in it manner permitting vcrti adjustment of the cylindcr ,i'ther nt the time of :issi-inbling the ports, or in the si'ibscz ucnt operation of the marcliinc to very the length oi' stitches. For the portion or the l purpose indi ated the bed p adj; cent the ijt'lltllll opening therein, is

ndjnstnblc screws ll, whrrcon the lower 14 at n point Cir the lowcr edge ol' iho liccdlc cylinder, whereby in tho rotation ol' said screws ill in the pro direction, the mid needle cylinder Hi'";

drow down against 'lhe culls oi the set iiuvilli-ill position ol which has "nun-d.

. lire carried in .le cyluuler,

and preferably spaced or separated by landsof rotation is imparted to the cam cylinder" and for that purpose it is herein shown as sin tably Inountedupon a gear ring 2.), having. a

gear 24 preferably formed therewith and meshing with a gear 25 preferably upon the main driving shaft 26-, suitably mounted in the su porting bracket8. Preferably the :am cylin eris formed of a series of segments 27, each of which carries-its portion of the needle cams or needle tracks. Preferably each seg- I ment 27 is directly mounted upon and secured to a fiat porti'on of the gear ring 23, and preferably in such a manner as to permit the seginentswhen detached from said gear ring to be removed therefrom by radial movement alone, tl1us obviating any li'fting movement thereof which displaces the needles.

i In the present ty e of the invention the gearing is providet with a flush surface whereon said'segments are received, said flush surface extending outwardly beyond and "circumferentially of said segments, so that when the latter have been released from the ear ring, they may be slid radially outwarc u on the said flush surface until removed rom needle engaging relation, whereby the vertical position of the needles need not be disturbed by'the removal of a segment or segments. As a suitable means for securing said segments to the gear ring, 1 have herein shown vertically dis )osed screws 28, of which I preferably empl oy two for each segment, said screws being of such length as to-vertically pass entirely through said segments and into sc'rew threadedopenings in the gear ring. Were said screws 28 to engage merely screw threaded openings in the gear ring, after removal of such screws, it would be extremely dillicult to again secure them in said openings precisely as they were before. That is to say, the screw threaded engagement of. the screw and the hole therefor,

.cannot be relied upon to provide a positioning means for said screws. 'lhere'fore, in the resent type of the invention each screw liole iscounterbored, as indicated at Qtlpfor thereception of the lower end 30 of the body of each screw which accurately fits in such counterbored portion, the said screw holes preferably being formed in a thickened portion of the. cam ring,'the shoulder formed thereby being received upon a shoulder of the bed plate, In this manner 'each segment after its removal may be returned to the exact position previously occupied thereby and secured in such exact position, it being apparent that such exact positioning is highly desirable in the ty e of mechanism herein disclosed. Preferably upon the u )per edge of the cam cylinder 22 18 disposed an annular gib or washer 31, preferably composed of segments which may correspond with thoseof the cam cylinder and which may be secured thereto by screws (not shown) or in any otherdesirod manner. Said gibs as shown are preferably maintained in such close rela tion with the outer wall of the needle cylinder as to prevent. the cylinder needles from llying out radially or becoming otherwise displaced.

In order to rotate the dial cam disk orcap synchronously with the cam cylinder in the present type of the invention means are pro vided rotatively to connect the gear ring 23 and the dial cam disk or ca 32, such means 'herein comprising preferalily a plurality of vertical posts 33, screwed or otherwise secured in the gear ring 23 and preferably in a said posts being shouldered,as at 35, to re- I ceive the preferably 'ierforated outer ends of thespider arms 36, the upper ends of said posts33 being screw threaded for the reception of nuts 37, whereby the vertical position of said spider maybe fixed, if desired. it will be observed-that the vertical position of the spider may be adjusted, if desired, either by adjustment of the postsb'ii, or of the spider arms upon the posts, as by suitable adjusting connections between said arms and posts, or in any other desired manner. The dial cam disk or cap 32 is fixedly secured to and'as herein shown within the spider 36 by the sleeve 38, formed with the dial cam disk or cap, said sleeve being secured to the sleeve in any desired manner, so that said sleeve and spider may be rotated upon the depending column synchroimnsly with .the cam cylinder.

The needle dial IS) is secured preferably to the lower end of the depending column 4 in any suitable manner, as by a set screw 40. Inasmuch as the. depending column is of en, larged diameter the extended periphery thereof presents a sufficiently large surface for delicate adjustments by means of the set screw. Before said set screw 40 is brought into binding relation with the depending column the needle dial is carefully adjusted circumferentially and 'ertically, so as to bring the needles or yarn mai'lipulating elements of the dial in proper relation to the needles of the cylinder, so asto be out of contact therewith. When this position has been secured the screw 4-0 is turned to maintain the needle dial in its desired relation, which will not be disturbed in the operation of the meclninism. Thus, a positive means is provided to maintain the needles or yarn manipulating elements of the dial in spaced relation to the needles of the cylinder.

.A plurality of brackets 41 is preferably employed, which may be. perforated for the redeption of the posts 33, said brackets carrying studs 42, upon the upper end whereof positioning rib 34 thereon, the upper end of may be mounted in any desired manner a bobbin supporting rmgor other device,'thus rotating with the cam cylinder.

I Preferably mounted upon the posts 33, is a yarn ring 43, having suitable provisions for supplying yarn to the needles, such ring preferably having a plurality of laterally projecting lugs zulaptcd to be secured to the posts 3 3 by set screws 45, said lugs preferably and as herein shown resting upon the upper edge of the brackets 41. if the machine be used as a ribber, independent yarn guides or any other suitable form of yarn feeding mechanism may be substituted for the yarn ring 43.

Having thus described one type or embodiment of my inqention, i wish it lo be understood that although specific terms are used with reference to that embodiment herein illustrated, such terms are used in a generic and not a specific sense and for illustrative purposes merely, and that the scope of the invention is set forth in the follmving claims.

Claim.

1. A knitting machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, a rotatable cam cylinder, a needle dial, an overhead support Whereto said needle dial is secured and by which it is wholly supprrted and positioned, a dial cum disk sleeved upon said overhead support, a gear ring to which said cam cylinder is secured and by which the same is rotated, upright posts secured to said gear ring, bobbin frame supporting brackets mounted upon said posts, a yarn feeding device mounted upon said posts, and a spider connecting said posts and said dial cam disk, whereby the cam cylim lcr, bobbins. yarn supplying devices and dial cam disk arc synchronously rotated.

2. A knitting machine conu'n ising a stationaryneedle cylinder, a rotatable cam cylinder, a gear ring to which said cam cylinder is dctachably secured, a needle dial, an over head support to which said needle dial is socurcd and by which it is supported and positioned, a dial cam disk upon said overhead support and upright posts detachably secured to said gear ring, a spider mounted u on said posts and supporting said dial cam disk and a yarn l'ccdiug device also mounted upon said posts in operative proximity to the needles.

v 3. A knitting machine comprisinga stationary nccdlc cylinder, a rotatable cam cylindcr, a gcar ring to which said cam cylinder is detachably secured and having a Hush upper face, a needle dial, an overhead support to which said nccdl dial is secured and by which it is supported and positioned, a dial cam disk upon said overhead support, upright posts conncclcd to said gear ring and opcrativcly councctml to and supporting said dial cam disk, said cam cylinder com'nising a plurality of segments entirely encircling said needle cylinder, said segments being directly mounted. upon the flush upper surface of the gear ring, said flush upper surface extending beyond and circumferentially of said segments, and means to secure said segments to said lush upper surface of said gear ring,

index, a gear ring to which said cam cylinder is det-achably secured and having a flushupper taco, a needle dial, an overhead support to which said needle dial is secured and by which it is supported and positioned, a. dial cam disk upon said overhead support, upright posts connected to said gear ring-and operatively connected to and supporting said dial cam disk, said camcylinder comprising a plurality of segments entirely encircling said needle cylinder, said segments being directly mounted upon the flush upper surface of the gear ring and each being radially movable thereon, said flush upper surface extending beyond and circumferentially of said segments, and means passing vertically through the main Web of said segments and into said gear ring, whereby said segments are secured in position.

A knitting machine comprising a sta tionary needle cylinder, a rotatable cam cyleach of said segments may be With inder, a gear ring to whichsaid cam cylinder is dctachably secured and having a flush upper face, a needle dial, an overhead support to which said needle dial is secured and by which it is supported and positioned, a dial cam disk upon said overhead support, upright posts connected to said gear ring and operativcly connected to and supporting said dial cam disk, said cam cylinder comprising a plurality of segments entirely encircling said needle cylinder, saidsegments being directly mounted upon the flush upper surface of the gear ring, said flush upper surface extending beyond 'and circumferentially of said segments, said segments being devoid of a base supporting flange, thus permitting an extended radial movement of each of said segments upon the flush upper faceof the gear ring, and screws passingvertically through the mam Web of said segments and? into engagement with said gear ring.

0. A knitting machine comprising a bed plate, a needle cylinder stationarily mounted thereon, a gear ring-mounted upon sald bed plate and having a flush upper face, scam cylinder comprising a plurality of segments face of said gear ring, a needle dial, a dial cam disk, and means radially beyond said segments and distinct therefrom for supporting said dial cam disk.

7. A knitting machine comprising a bed plate, a needle cylinder stationarily mounted thereon, a gear ring mounted in said bed plate and having a flush upper face, a cam cylinder comprising a series of segments mounted upon said gear rings and entirely surrounding said needle cylinder, counterbored threaded sockets being provided in said gear ring and vertically disposed screws engaging said segments and received by said threaded sockets, the lower body or unthreaded portion of said screws being received by said 'counterbored portion of said sockets, whereby said segments may be accurately positioned, a needle dial, a dial cam disk, and means radially beyond and distinct from said segments for supporting said dial cam disk, the construction being such that. each of the said segments may be radially moved with out movement of the support for the dial cam disk.

8. A knitting machine comprising a bed plate,- a needle cylinder stationarily mounted thereon, said bed plate having two annular grooves for the reception of a gear ring, a gear ring seated in said grooves and provided with a flush upper face, a cam cylinder comprising a series of segments directly seated upon said gear ring with capacity for direct radial removal thereof from the needle cylinder, a needle cam disk and vertically disposed posts secured to said gear ring and operatively connected to said dial cam disk to rotate the latter synchronously with the cam cylinder, said posts being distinct from and unconnected with each of said. cam cylinder segments, whereby each of said segments may be moved radially outward without movement of said posts.

9. A knitting machine comprising a main column, a bracket laterally extending therefrom, a stationary needle cylinder and rotat able cam cylinder supported thereby, a rigid depending column extending from and supported by said main column, a needle dial sccured to and wholly supported and positioned by said depending column, a dial cam disk rotatably sleeved upon said depending column, agearringivhereto said cam cylinder is dctach ably secured for rotation and upon which it rests, upright posts secured to said gear ring and a spider secured to said dial cam disk and said posts, whereby said dial cam disk and cam cylinder are connected for synchronous rotatlon, said rotatable cam cylinder comprising a plurality of segments entirely encircling the needle cylinder and each of them being unconnected with said upright posts, whereby radial movement of each of said segments is permitted without movement of said post s. 10. A knitting'gmachine comprising a mam column, a bracket laterally extending there from, a stationary needle cylinder and rotatable cam cylinder supported thereby, a rigid depending column extending from and sup ported by said main column, a needle dial secured to and wholly sup )ortcd and positioncd by said depending column, a dial cam disk iotatably sleeved upon said depending column, a gear ring whcreto said cam cylinder is detachably secured for rotation and upon which it rests, upright posts secured to said gear ring and a spider secured to said dial cam disk and said posts, whereby said dial cam disk and cam cylinder are connected for synchronous rotation, said main column having a base laterally enlarged andextended underneath the cylinders and depending column to afford a sutlicient support for the mechanism when unconfined to the flooring.

11; A knitting machine comprising an upright column or support, a rigid column de pending from and supported by said main column, a stationary needle cylinder and rotatablecam cylinder supported by said main column, a needle diall wholly su ported and positioned by said depending co umn, a dial cam disk sleeved upon said depending column, a gear ringto which said cam cylinder is secured and by which thesame is rotated, upright posts secured to said gear ring, bobbin 1t rame supporting brackets mounted upon said posts, a yarn feeding device mounted upon said posts, and a spider connecting said posts and said dial cam disk, whereby the cam cylinder, bobbins, yarn supplying devices and dial cam disk are synchronously rotated.

12. A knitting machine comprising a 'main upright column or support, a rigid depending tubular column of relatively large diameter compared with that of the main column, a stationary needle cylinder and rotatable cam cylinder supported by said main column, a needle dial secured to and wholly su ported and positioned by said depending colbmn, a dial cam disk sleeved upon said depending column, a gear ring to which said cylinder is securr-al and by which the same is rotated, upright posts secured to said gear ring, bobbin 'l'ramc supporting brackets mounted upon said posts, a yarn feeding devicT-mountcd upon said posts, and a spider connecting said posts and said dial cam disk, whereby the cam cylinder, bobbins, yarn supplying devices and dial cam disk are synchronously rotated, said main column having a laterally enlarged baseextending underneath the cylinders and depending column to ail'ord a sullicient support for the mechanism when unconfined to the llooring.

135A knitting machine comprising a stal ionarynccdle cylinder, a rotatable cam cylinder, a needle dial, an overhead support where.- to said needle dial is secured and by which it is wholly supported aml positioned, a dial cam disk sleevfed upon said overhead support.

a rin directly rotation, u;

bobbin iounted i 'es ini'iui connecting; sal wliereb supplying le ehronously ro' up per fac moi" rot t uunn Z winds upon ring is per- 16. A knitting machine comprising a main column or support having an enlarged base, a bracket supported thereby, a stationary needle cylinder and a rotatable cam cylinder supported from said bracket, a depending column extending from and rigidly or inflexibly supported by said main colunin, said depending column beinghollow, a needle dial secured to and wholly supported by said hollow depending column and maintained. thereon in proper circumferential relation with the needle cylinder, the diameter of said depending column being not less than substantially one third the diameter or the needle dial, the enlarged base extending sudiciently underneath the cylinders and depending column to ailord a suliicient sup port for the mechanism when unconfined'to 17. A knitting machine comprising a main ,column or support, a bracl cet supported thereby, a stationary needle cylinder and a v )IilltlblB can] cylinder supported from said luac et, depending column Q-XtQIRllIlQfIODl and rigidly and iniiexibly supported by said main column, said depending column being hollow, a needle dial secured to and Wholly supported by said depending column and maintained thereon in proper circumferential relation with the needle cylinder, the diameter of said depending column being not ,;'s than substantially one third the diameterof the needle dial, and a rotatable cam in cooperative relation with said needle in testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, m the presence of two subscrihing Witnesses.

BERNARD 'l. SJEBEB lVi tnesscs FRANK S'rnnnn, Aenns M. GEARY. 

